Jailbird || Stranger Things

sixty-two ➵ hiccups

sorry, 2023 is shaping up to be a mad year

Bradley's Big Buy's front window shattered from the collision of a rock, Nancy leading the group into the store. Max and Mike held up El as she tried not to fully give way to the pain. The last thing she wanted was to let them know just how much pain the injury was causing her.

She needed Reese.

Nancy led them to the first aid products, grabbing some rubbing alcohol and gauze from the shelf, turning back to the other two. "Okay, get her down."

Nancy helped Mike and Max lower El to the floor before her hands went to the girl's pant leg, gently pulling it up, "Lemme see," she spoke quietly, her movements making Eleven let out a whimper of pain as well as previously masked fear.

"Oh, shit," several of the other kids cursed, but Nancy remained focused on the girl in front of her. She reached for the gauze, opening the packet before Max's voice stopped her.

"What—Hey, what are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm cleaning the wound," Nancy spoke with a patience she didn't realised she was capable of in such a situation.

"No, first, we need to stop the bleeding, then clean, then disinfect, then bandage," she rattled off like it was engraved to the back of her eyelids, gathering confused and shocked looks from those around her. After a brief glance, she turned back to Nancy. "I skateboard. Trust me," she spoke gently, the air between the group close to vibrating with tension due to El's injury.

"Okay."

Realising she wasn't the most knowledgable in the moment, Nancy nodded, giving in and allowing Max to take charge.

"Mike, hold this. Keep the pressure on it, nice and firm, okay?" she told him, having to ignore El's groan of pain. Instead, she looked to Nance and Jonathan. "We're gonna need water, soap."

"Yeah, okay," they nodded, getting up to do as instructed.

Behind the three kids on the floor and left behind by the older teens, Lucas emptied his bag, getting a confused look from his on-off girlfriend. "Does any of this help?"

"No," she replied, furrowing her eyebrows. "Go get me a washcloth and a bowl."

"A bowl?"

"Lucas," she spoke with a firm warning in her tone, the boy getting a mild slap on the arm from Will.

"Oh—Okay!"

The group split up, leaving Max and Mike to keep El awake and putting pressure on her wound. Meanwhile, Nancy and Jonathan tried to make sense of their situation.

"What did that thing look like to you?" Nancy asked on their way to get soap and water.

"Like that thing in the hospital, only bigger," Jonathan agreed, seeing her thoughts written on her face.

"Yeah, a lot bigger," Nancy countered. "Like, Tom and Bruce, they merged to become one, right? And—And Driscoll kept saying how she needed to go back to the source—"

"Wait, you think Driscoll's in there?" Jonathan stopped her as they were about to turn down an aisle. Instead, he made her look at him to make sure he was understanding what she was saying.

"Maybe. And—And maybe Heather and Janet, too, and God knows who else. I don't know how we're gonna kill this thing, but if we do—

"We kill all the flayed," Jonathan nodded.